Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
LA County Looks Into Expanding Trainee Program Amid Mental Health Worker Shortage
Psychiatric technician Connie Villareal inside an L.A. County therapeutic transport van.
(
Courtesy L.A. Dept. of Mental Health
)
Topline:
According to an October report, 28 percent of the positions at the L.A. County Department of Mental Health are vacant. The county is hoping that beefing up its training programs for students will bring more mental health professionals into the fray.
Why It Matters: Dr. Debbie Innes-Gomberg, deputy director of DMH’s Training Division, said some of the impacts of having an insufficient workforce are that it takes longer for patients to get care and staff gets burned out, while demand for mental health care increases.
What’s Next: Last month, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors ordered the department to come up with a plan to expand trainee programs for students.
Support for LAist comes from
Currently the department works with 16 local universities to offer about 100 internships a year, and the hope is to increase that number considerably.
The county is also restarting an $18,000 stipend program that was paused during the pandemic. That program hopes to grant nearly 200 recent grads those stipends in return for a promise to work in public mental health for a year.
Go Deeper: Why It’s So Hard To Find A Therapist In LA
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases. -
The program is for customers in communities that may not be able to afford turf removal or water-saving upgrades. -
More than half of sales through September have been to corporate developers. Grassroots community efforts continue to work to combat the trend. -
The bill would increase penalties for metal recyclers who possess or purchase metal used in public infrastructure. -
The new ordinance applies to certain grocers operating in the city and has led to some self-checkout lanes to shutter. -
Children asked to waive right to see a judge in exchange for $2,500
Best of LAist